Nation

Oh, the pain of the children

Heart-wrenching: Mastura's son Muhriz Marzaidi beside his mother's casket at the Al-Taqwa mosque in Kg Paroi.

SEREMBAN: Nothing can be more heart-wrenching than the grief of children.

Those who were at the Al Taqwa mosque in Kg Paroi here yesterday choked back tears when Muhriz Marzaidi, 10, decided to keep his mother company by sitting close to the casket of Malaysia Airlines leading stewardess Mastura Mustafa.

An uploaded picture of a sombre Muhriz with hands gently holding on to Mastura’s casket was shared many times on the Internet, with many commentators sympathising with the young boy, and urging him to be strong.

Mastura’s former husband Marzaidi Mohammad said Muhriz was slowly accepting the death of his mother, although his son was fraught with sleepless nights for more than a week after the MH17 tragedy.

Little hands, last rites: Stewardess Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Arifin’s husband Ahmad Tarmizi Ismail, 41, helping his two-year-old son Hazim scatter flowers on her grave as his eight-year-old son Haiqal looks on at the Muslim cemetery in Gombak.

He added that their son was now in school and lived with his paternal grandparents in Rapat Setia in Ipoh.

In Taiping, young Aqil Rais Mohd Rafliz’s words tugged at the heartstrings of adults when he was heard telling those around him that: “Bonda ‘fly’, kapal terbang meletup” (My mother flew and the aeroplane exploded).

According to Bernama, he turned six on the day the remains of his mother, Azrina Yakob, the chief stewardess of MH17, was buried.

Innocence of childhood: Birthday boy Aqil Rais and his sister Arissa Raisya with their grandmother Habibah Ismail at the funeral of Azrina Yakob. — Bernama

A cousin of Azrina, who wished to be identified only as Kak Chik Rose, 51, said Aqil Rais was the older of Azrina’s two children. The other is a daughter, three-year-old Arissa Raisya.

In Segamat, Johor, Nabilah Yusri, the ex-wife of MH17 victim Hasni Hardi Parlan, 32, was sobbing while carrying her four-month-old baby from her short marriage to him when his remains were buried at the Muslim burial ground at eighth mile, Kampung Paya Luas.

Consumed by sadness, Nabilah, 25, was seen holding on tightly to her baby, Ahmad Anuar.

Hasni’s close friend and colleague Azrul Azwan, 33, said the deceased was very careful with his money.

Gone too soon: Hasni Hardi Parlan’s ex-wife Nabilah Yusri with her four-month-old child at his funeral. She could not contain her grief.

He said instead of splurging on new cars like many of his friends, Hasni would save his money for his family.

Stewardess Hamfazlin Sham Mohamed Ariffin, who was laid to rest at the Muslim cemetery in Taman Batu Muda, Gombak, leaves two sons, Haiqal, eight, and Hazim, two, while first officer Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi leaves his nine-month-old son Abderrahman.

Dad in his dreams: Abderrahman, son of MH17 co-pilot Ahmad Hakimi Hanapi, sleeping while clutching his father’s uniform.